Happy Women’s History Month!

In a male-dominated profession, women are continuing to pave their way into the surveying industry.

The Bureau of Labor statistic’s latest data reported that women account for 17.4% of civil engineers and 12.6% of surveying and mapping technicians.

The journey of women in surveying begins with Alice Fletcher, an American ethnologist, anthropologist, and social scientist. Fletcher is also referred to as the “Measuring Woman”. She studied and documented American Indian culture. Fletcher fought for the Omahas after learning their fear of being banished to designated Indian Territory. She allotted over 75,931 acres in 954 allotments to 1,194 Omaha people by 1884, which established her as the first female surveyor. Irene Barclay was the next notable female surveyor in the early 1920s. Irene was the first women in the UK to qualify as a certified surveyor. Irene ended her career with construction of over 800 homes, as well as schools, recreational centers, and commercial properties.

Over the past few years, the number of women in surveying continues to increase. Women are making up a consistently growing portion of land surveyors, and about 27% of land survey students are females. With a shortage of people in the field, women have the opportunity to fill the skill shortage.

Women can potentially bring a fresh dynamic and intelligence to the industry, and there is a greater visibility of women in the profession. We look forward to seeing more women in the industry!